MTRCB sets hearing on Tulfos’ threats vs Santiagos

ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has scheduled a hearing on the threats made by Erwin, Raffy and Ben Tulfo against celebrity couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto on their show, "T3," which aired on TV5 on Monday.

Acting on numerous complaints from the general public and based on the Board's own monitoring, the Office of the MTRCB Legal Counsel has found probable cause to charge the television program "T3 Kapatid Sagot Kita," aired over TV5, "for violation of Section 3(c), P.D. 1986 for airing scenes and utterances that are indeceent and contrary to law, or with a dangerous tendency to encourage the commission of violence, or of a wrong or crime, during its 07 May 2012 episode,” MTRCB chairperson Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares said in a statement on Tuesday.

The hearing is scheduled on May 10 at 10:30 a.m.

The MTRCB said it is also “endorsing” the matter to the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) for “approriate action with respect to the television personalities involved.”

Earlier in the day, MTRCB board member Atty. Eugenio "Toto" Villareal said the MTRCB was "shocked" that the Tulfo brothers threatened and cursed the celebrity couple live on their show.

He said the MTRCB’s legal department will conduct an investigation and if proven that they violated the board's guidelines, the show could face suspension or even cancellation.

The MTRCB also appealed to the executive producers of all networks to be careful for the sake of TV viewers, especially children.

In 2010, the MTRCB placed the ABS-CBN talent show "Showtime" on a 20-day preventive suspension, after guest judge Rosanna Roces made controversial statements against teachers and co-judge Vice Ganda.

Last year, TV5's "Willing Willie" hosted by Willie Revillame was also suspended by the MTRCB for one month amid a public uproar over its March 12 episode wherein a 6-year-old boy was cajoled into simulating a striptease.

The MTRCB concluded that the episode of "Willing Willie" violated a law against immoral and indecent broadcasts that run counter to Filipino values. -- with report from Dennis Datu, DZMM